Means for tightening wires in elastic tires.



No. 714,528. Y Pagnm Novi 25,1902. .f

\ J. E. sPnAGuE.

MEANS FOR TIGHTENINGWIRES IN ELASTIC TIRES.

(Application led Oct. 11, 1902.)

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`Mia/ins FOR TIGHTENlNewlRi-:s IN ELAsTlof-rmss.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 714,528, dated November25, 1902.

Application filed October ll, 1902.` Serial No. 126,835. (No model.)

To if/ZZ wtom 1125 may con/cern:

Be it known that I, JOHN E. SrnnennaJ citizen of the United States,residing in Portage `longitudinal wires used in holding tires in placeand to so place these devices that they will be compact andreadilyaccessible forA use when desired, and yet not afford an unsightlyappearance` to the finished wheel.

To the accomplishment of the aforesaid objects my invention consists inthe peculiar and novel construction, arrangement, f and combination of`parts hereinafter described and then speciiically pointed out in theclaims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form apart hereof.

In the accompanying drawings, in which` similar reference-numeralsindicate like parts in the diierent figures, Figure 1 is a sideelevation, partly in section, of a wheel-felly, iron tire, rubber tire,and my improved fas` tening devices in place; Fig. 2, a plan of a wheelprovided with a .rubber tire and in' which View both the rubber tire andiron tire are cut away to show the tightening devices placed within thebody ofthe felly, and Fig. 3 is a section through one set of windlassesshowing their construction.

In the drawings, l is the ordinary wooden felly of a wheel, on the outercircumference of which is placed the channeled-iron tire 2 of ordinaryconstruction. On top of and between the flanges of this iron tire 2 isplaced the rubber tire v5, which may be of any of the common forms oftire. Within this tire are two longitudinal wires 4, used for thepurpose of holding and retaining the rubber tire iirmly in the ironchanneled tire. My device 4left by this cut a box-like structure 5.

for tightening these wires within the body of the rubber tire is asfollows: Aportion of the felly l is cut away, generally at the pointWhere a joint is commonly made in the felly of a wheel, and thenisinterposed in the space This structure is divided into a maincompartment 6, with two hollow ends 7 to embrace theloose ends of thefelly, and the felly is connected and held within these ends by screws 8or any suitable or convenient means. This boxlike struct-ure 5 isadapted tobe of the same depth internally as the depth of the felly andAto receive as an upper cover the under surface of the channeled-irontire and to be coincident in width therewith. Extending between thesides of the main body portion 6 of the box 5 are two sets ofwinding-drums, each set consisting of two winding-drums in alinementwith one another, the set on the left in Fig. 2 consisting ofwinding-drums 9-10 and the set on the right in the same gure consistingof winding-drums 11 12. These sets are identically alike and adescription of Aone will suffice for both, and they consist ofadrnm-like bod y through which passes an opening 13, each winding-drumhaving upturned ends to retain the wire which is to be wound thereon inplace, and each has on its outer edge ratchet-teeth 14C, adapted to beengaged by pawls 15, and each pawl is held in place by springs 16. Inthe central outer surface of each winding-drum is a square hole 17, intowhich a wrench may be inserted to revolve the winding-drum. In each setof winding-drums one winding-drum has a projecting circular boss 18projecting into the winding-drum next adjoiningit, so as to make the twowinding-drums self-supporting and independently capable of revolution.The outer surfaces of each winding-drum are provided with a hub-likeportion to project into the side walls of the box 5 and to be thusretained in proper place. An opening 9 is provided (see Fig. l) in eachside of the portion 5, by which a sharp-pointed instrument may beinserted with a View to raise the pawl 15 from engagement with theratchet-teeth into which it is intended to engage to release thatparticular winding-drum. The bottom iioor of the channeled-iron tire 2is slotted at the IOO -points 2O to permit the Wires from the ends ofthe tire to pass down through into the boxlike structure 5C Thefollowing operation is used in placing a rubber tire in position when mydevice is employed; The rubber tire bearing the Wires projectingtherefrom is Wrapped around the channeled-iron tire 2, and the ends ofthe Wires are inserted in the Winding-drums farthest from the end of thetire from Which they project-that is, as shown in Fig. 2, the Wires fromthe right-hand end are carried across into the winding-drums 9 10 andthe Wires from the left end 'in Fig. 2 of the tire are inserted in holesin the winding-drums ll and I2. A Wrench having a shank is insertedsuccessively in each of the openings of the Winding-drums, and by meansof this Wrench each is revolved until each Wire has acquired asufficient degree of tension to retain the rubber in place. Should ithappen that at any time during the use of this tire it should becomeloosened from Wear, all that is necessary is to insert a Wrench in anyone of the Winding-drums, and a partial rotation thereof Will bring thetension of that particular Wire to a proper condition. Should it benecessary for any reason to remove the rubber tire from the wheel, asharp-pointed instrument is inserted in the opening`20, and the paWlattached to that particular ratchet is raised and the ratchet andWinding-drum permitted to revolve in a reverse direction, whichimmediately releases the tension on the wire and permits the readyremoval of the tire from the wheel.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-.

1. A frame to be inserted in the felly of a Wheel provided with a rubbertire, Windingdrums mounted in said frame to draw by their revolution thewires in said rubber tire to a desired tension.

2. The combination of a frame to be inserted in the felly of a Wheel, arubber tire mounted on said Wheel, Wires in said rubber tire,Winding-drums mounted in said frame,meansto connect said Wires to saidWinding-drums and means to revolve said Winding-drums, substantially asshown and described.

3. The combination of a Wheel, a frame inserted in the felly thereof, aniron tire surrounding said felly, a rubber tire provided withlongitudinally-embedded Wires in said iron tire, Winding drums mountedtransversely in said frame, means to attach the Wires in said rubbertire to said Windingdrums, and means to retain said Windingdrums at anydesired point, substantially as shown and described.

4f. The combination of a wheel provided with a felly, a frame mounted insaid felly, Winding-drums mounted transversely in said frame in pairs,eachindependently re voluble, with a rubber tire surrounding said fellyprovided With embedded longitudinal Wires and means to connect saidWires to independent Winding-drums and means to revolve saidWinding-drums independently of each other, substantially as shown anddescribed.

5. The combination With a wheel provided With a felly, a frame situatedin said felly, a channeled-iron tire surrounding said felly, a rubbertire bearing independent longitudinal Wires, independent Winding-drumsmounted in said frame and means to connect the ends ofsaid Wires withsaid Winding-drums, means to retain said winding-drums in place, andmeans to release said Winding-drums when desired, substantially as shownand described.

6. The combination of a Wheel having a felly, a frame mounted in saidfelly, an iron tire surrounding said felly, a rubber tire situated insaid iron tire, Wires in said rubber tire, Winding-drums in said frame,means to connect said Wires with said Winding-drums, and means to permitthe passage of said Wires from said rubber tire to said Winding-drumsthrough said iron tire, substantially as shown and described.

7. The combination of a frame situated in the felly of a Wheel,Winding-drums mounted in said frame and capable of independentrevolution, paWls to retain each Windingdrum in a desired positionindependently, holes in the sides of said frame to permit the insertionof a paWl-raising tool, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the above I hereunto set my hand in thepresence of two subscribing Witnesses.

JOHN E. SPRAGUE.

In presence of- C. E. I-IUMPHREY, MAUDE ZWIsLER.

IOO

